Hero: Mid-20's, not too many hands played but observing table well, only showdown was TPTK for small win (~$200)

Villain: Mid-40's, talking about how he is in good with a big wig in Wynn Las Vegas, constantly talking about how he hasn't won a hand yet with AJs and his favorite hand is Q9 and showed it down for multiple wins so far (~$600)

Hand: Late position calls, Villain on Btn calls and Hero in BB raises to $16 with KK
Both limpers call

Flop: (~$45) QQ3 rainbow
Hero: bet $20, Late Position folds, Villain calls

Turn: (~$85) QQ3 10x
Hero check, villain bet $65
Hero thinks about the Q9 then folds

Any thoughts on the hand or when people constantly talk about favorite hands and play a little inception game on your mind?

bet the turn. as played call the turn, dont get MUBSY

Ya, this is bad fold. Very exploitable play. Only with a ton of history, and good read am I folding.

We need to check call. Or lead turn. I strongly prefer check call.

We block KQ, AQ probably in raising range.

His bet sizing should tell us alot. Since we have seen him showdown Q9 twice.

Regardless of the whole Q9 thing, I don't think it's a terrible fold. How often is this guy flatting the flop, then betting the turn with non-Qx hands?

Also, c/c is not a good play here. We're more likely to get value from pocket pairs by betting the turn.

The standard play is to bet, then shut down on the river.

What's MUBSY mean?

About 90% calling all c-bets no matter what the flop entails. Definitely wasn't planning on him making that 3/4 pot bet on turn and was planning on firing bet on river with anything other than A or J showing up.

He ended up showing.......Q9, of course

Not a fan of the small cbet followed by turn c/f line on this flop, barring pretty solid reads on Villains. We're usually just throwing away $20, because absolutely any hand, real or floated, that calls the flop will realize we basically never have a queen when we check the turn. If we're going to cbet less than 1/2 pot and keep mid pairs and any possible floats Villains can have in, we need to be calling any reasonable bet here. The exception is if we're extremely confident Villain is fit or fold and tries to get to showdowns cheap with marginal SDV hands.

Monsters under the bed syndrome.

I also am not a fan of the c/f line but this is also 1/2. I doubt the villains are going to exploit his line that much. I would've bet the turn and fold to any raise. If he calls evaluate the river and probably c/f depending on size. I would also need some past info on his past bet sizes.

I'd bet $30 on the flop and expect to get called by worse as often as $20.

Otherwise I think you played it well. I don't think you're gonna get much more if any value from 3x, 44-JJ on the turn, so yes, I think your check is good.

Easy check/fold to this turn bet. He's not exploiting you. He's not incepting you. He very likely has a better hand, is never folding, and it's just a good c/f imo.

Do you think villain bets turn with, say, 66?

^OP's in a better position to answer that than any of us. There are 1/2 players who will check 66 hoping to get to showdown, and there are 1/2 players who will put us on AK after we check and bet to protect their hand.

I didn't mean to suggest that the "exception" in my comment is rare; as we all know, plenty of 1/2 Vs are fit or fold and take passive lines with marginal hands. I'd just like to have some sort of a read on that is all.

The turn bet sizing is pretty big for a recreational player with no draws on board. I cannot see someone as described betting their 10x for 3/4pot on turn, maybe JJ/QQ (but would he just call on the button with those hands?). I'd fold too.

The Q9 talk sounds like someone who is loose pre-flop but tight with his raising post-flop? Sounds like you had enough hands to form a read on him, does he vary his bet sizing, and with what?

Re: the turn check showing that you basically never have a queen, I don't think that's a huge thing. I find that there are few players that feel brave enough to try a bluff on that board on the turn even in the knowledge you don't have a queen because you might not fold. In fact the check might even help you get a river bet in to get called by worse, because they know you don't have a Queen.

Bet bigger OTF
Bet turn
check river and expect him to check back the hands you beat and bet the hands that beat you = play perfect on the river.
I think this is by far the best line.

Bet your standard cbet on flop
bet standard turn
check river and fold to any bet 1/3 pot+ (dudes not double floating air to steal on the river right?, he bets= you lose)

I think you either need to bet bigger on the flop (him calling <50% of the pot on the flop isn't enough to sell me that he has a queen) - or if you are giving him a small value bet like that on the flop, then you have to bet the turn. He probably floats with Ax, small pairs a decent amount that will fold to you on the turn, and then if he does call you can just give up.

If I am him with 66, and you bet weak on the flop, and then check the turn - I would probably make the same bet he just made

For you, the important thing is that reading this thread most people are calling your bluff.

For the OP, the important thing is that he's just beating bluffs.

His range from late position to the button has been any two cards if raised no more than $8...he talks constantly out loud about how that's a good flop for Q9 and splashes the pot, almost like mind games...